Envelope opener



s. o. OHLSSON ENVELOPE OPENER Aug. 4, 1953 Filed ma 17, 1950 INVENTOR SVEN OLLE QHLSSON Waaam ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 4, 1953 angers niwanora drama .S en Olle Qhlssnn, .M q, Sw den,.;assigns .1t9 Aktiehnlaza A da ia. Swed n, a mira etism of Swa lg Annlicatinuhtlayild, 195Q,:$e:ialmaliases .Jndmda i949 4 Qlaimstto-2am the disadvantage that the strips cut off make the desk untidy and easily clog the opener so that it cannot function in the intended manner until it has been cleaned.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an envelope opener which does not present the above-mentioned disadvantages inherent in prior art openers. It is also an object of the invention to provide an envelope opener having very simple and cheap construction and which i extremely easy to operate.

Other objects of the invention will be clear from the following description of a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top view of the envelope opener according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows, on a larger scale, the cutting means of the opener as Well as the adjacent parts of the frame in horizontal projection.

Fig. 3 is a section on line III-III in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line IVIV of Fig. 2. The illustrated envelope opener has a relatively heavy, elongated frame I provided with a longitudinal guide channel 2 for leading an envelope edge past a cutting means mounted on the frame by introducing the edge of the envelope ing being, however, ground so as to present a relatively sharp peripheral edge 8. Of course, the peripheral edge may also be formed as a separate ring secured to the exterior of the outer race ring of the ball bearing. The race ring carrying the peripheral edge 8 is, moreover, fixedly connected with a disk 9 projecting somewhat from the frame I out of the pocket 3, as will appear from Fig. 3, the periphery of the disk being knurled in order that it may be possible 2 easily to rotate-the roller by .exertins a far than the edge .of the d sk .9 with a fing r. gr ater part .of th rol er 5 is covered by a to attached .to the pin '1 and having a .si channeL-shapedfiaps .lgl 1'2 igs-:2 s reaching d wnwardly int the pocke 3 adjacent the tellers 4 and 75.. iil ilaps .15] and 'tla eshapsd t. e...for.m .conti-nnations of gu de ha e 2 in the pocket 3. The pins 6 and! are so located that the peripheral, cylindrical surface of the abutment roller 4 projects into the space in pocket 3 between the flaps I I and I2 while the peripheral edge 8 of the cutting roller 5 projects into the said space from the other side in immediate proximity to the peripheral surface of the roller 4 but without coming into contact therewith. The distance between the periphery of the roller 4 and the peripheral edge 8 should be chosen so as to approximately correspond to, or, preferably,

0 be somewhat smaller than the material thickness of the paper wall of the thinnest envelope to be opened in the apparatus.

When an envelope is to be opened by means of the described apparatus an edge of the envelope i introduced into the guide channel 2 of the frame I to the right of the rollers 4 and 5 with respect to Fig. 1, whereafter the envelope is moved along the guide channel up to the nip of the rollers 4 and 5. Then the roller 5 is rotated with a finger by means of the disk 9 until the peripheral edge 8 of the roller 5 and the roller 4 grasp the envelope edge, whereafter it is possible easily to draw the envelope further along the guide channel 2 past the rollers 4 and 5 while attention is paid to the envelope edge bearing firmly against the bottom of the guide channel.

While the envelope .edge is moved through the nip of the rollers 4 and 5, the peripheral edge 8 break one side wall of the envelope adjacent the envelope edge in question, whereas the other side 0 wall remains unbroken, because the peripheral edge 8 does not reach up to the smooth peripheral surface of the abutment roller 4. In this manner the envelope is opened without material being severed from it.

As will appear from Fig. 1, the frame I may be provided with two guiding rods I4 which are preferably of round cross section and are arranged above the guide channel 2 on each side thereof. It is possible to let ones fingers slide along these rods, while the envelope edge is moved through the guide channel 2 past the cutting means.

Of course, the invention must not be considered as limited to the embodiment described 3 above and shown in the drawing, for many modiflcations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for. opening envelopes by slittin through-one wall thereof comprising; a frame formed with a longitudinal guide channel to eceive the edge of an envelope, a pocket formed in the frame intersecting the channel adjacent one end of the frame, parallel pins upstandin in the pocket on opposite sides of the aggis o said channel, rollers on said .pins having their peripheries spaced on opposlte'sides of the axis of the channel, the periphery of one roller being cylindrical and the periphery of the other roller being formed with projecting V-shaped cutting edge, and a thumb-wheel integral with said other roller having its edge projecting from the side of said pocket.

2. A device for opening envelopes by slitting through one wall thereof comprising; a frame formed with a longitudinal guide channel to receive the edge of an envelope, a pocket formed in the frame intersecting the channel adjacent one end of the frame, parallel pins upstanding ripheries spaced on opposite sides of the axis of the channel, the periphery of one roller bein cylindrical and the periphery of the other roller being formed with projecting V-shaped cuttin edge, a thumb-wheel integral with said other roller having its edge projecting from the side of said pocket, and guide rails extending along the frame above the channel and also above said rollers.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the said other roller is surrounded, except for the portion adjacent the said one roller, by a shield supported on the associated pin.

4. An arrangement according to claim 3 Wherein the shield includes projecting flaps on opposite sides of the space between the rollers extending in the pocket on opposite sides of the axis of said channel, rollers on said pins having their peinto the said pocket in alignment with said channel and shaped to form a continuation of said channel.

SVEN ,OLLE OHLSSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,031,578 Palis July 2, 1912 1,607,010 Madsen Nov. 16, 1926 2,019,499

Maher Nov. 5, 1935 

